


Ghost of a Kiss

by Luvkyloreylo



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Blind Date, Confusion, Drunkenness, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fear, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Innocence, Male-Female Friendship, Mystery, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, Partying, Social Anxiety, Strangers to Lovers, Sulking, Surprise Kissing, Trust Issues, Truth or Dare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:21:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22062466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luvkyloreylo/pseuds/Luvkyloreylo
Summary: ———-****COMPLETE****————It was almost 2020, another year under his belt. This one just as monotonous as last, pointless meandering to succeed to no real avail. He was alone again, and after the previous New Year’s Eve... he had no plan to attempt to get a date for his best friend’s party this time. That blind date had enjoyed more chemistry with his frenemie Hux than himself. He was 32, horrendous at most social interactions, and too driven to put in more effort. Though, as his fingertips grazed his lips, he couldn’t help recalling the kiss. It was as if it had been nothing but a phantom, a ghost of a kiss. The girl there and gone before two words could be forced out to find out why? Who...? He never knew. So he sits here again, at the same fucking bar this year, surrounded by the mostly same crowd that belonged to Poe, wondering if the pixie of a girl would pop out of thin air again before midnight.
Relationships: Armitage Hux & Ben Solo, Ben Solo/Original Female Character(s), Poe Dameron & Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 20
Kudos: 43





	1. Linger

_Rey had used her fake ID to get in, followed Paige and Rose into the crowded bar._

_Paige was dating the host of the party, and hooked them up to join her for New Year’s Eve. Rey had still been nervous... very nervous that they’d get caught and kicked out._

_”lighten up Hilden! Poe knows how old you two are, he loves my baby sis... so of course he loves you as part of the package automatically!” Paige squealed when he appeared, hugged and kissed him. “My Pookie is so fun, you’ll love his friends!”_

_Rey nodded. Glanced around._

_She downed the first drink given, coughing, it burned her throat. Rose didn’t seem nearly as bothered by hers._

_Eventually she found herself dancing and laughing, loosening up. Paige had been completely right._

_They were fun..._

_Finn, Rose liked, and Gwen was so crazy, and Hux was just scandalous. Jessika danced like a professional. The broody one at the bar looked interesting, but intimidating so Rey left him be. He looked very intense sitting next to the gorgeous woman she assumed must be his date._

_He never came to where the rest were, but Poe and Hux kept going to where he was._

_Pestering she predicted. He didn’t look amused._


	2. Free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben tried, he did. But every word leaving Sofia’s mouth was dull and painful to archive into his head. Her voice grated his brain cells. Her perfume choked his nose. Her body was ok, he could visualize banging her from behind and never talking again. But, that was a bad idea. Really bad. Poe and Hux found endless amusement in coming over constantly the whole time asking ludicrous questions, and then Hux even requested a dance with the woman. Ben felt an odd freedom in letting him take her away. He could at least enjoy his drink in silence.

_Rey watched as the woman walked away, with Hux and proceeded to grind away on the dance floor. Like she had not come to meet his friend, like she forgot the dark haired man was still there._

_Because she never went back!_

_Rey saw them making out after a while near the bathrooms. She almost swallowed her tongue when they giggled, disappearing in one to do god knew what._

_She had theories. And most definitely decided she would not be going in now to pee.  
_

_She felt sorry for Mr. tall, dark, and scowling._

_But hell, what did she know. He could be a total dick, a creeper. He was a lot older than her and Rose... 30’s maybe? She was hyper aware of her freshly 18 year old self.  
  
Never kissed anyone yet... all these people would probably kiss someone at midnight._

_Well, maybe not him... his kiss was stolen it seemed and was screaming out his buddy’s name in the stall. Wow... she could hear them. Fucking hell!_

_She darted into a side door, found an employee only restroom. Stealth at it’s finest. Bravo to her!_

_She refound Rose and did two lil strong shots of something clear.  
_

_Lordy, she felt good now._

_Rose was laughing. “Rey Rey, so Finn and I think you need to pick a rando to kiss at midnight! I fucking dare you!”_

_Rey blushed, cringing._

_”oh come on it’s not hard!” Rose grabbed a blonde guy that was passing and laid a big one on him. “See! Thanks cutie, cya!”_

_He chuckled before heading to the table near them._

_”I don’t know.” Rey replied. Nervous._

_”it’s ok, hey... we’ll play truth or dare to warm up. Hey Poe! Jess... all y’all come on. We’re going play truth or dare until midnight!”_

_Rey was surprised when all the playful drunks were more than willing.  
  
And if she was honest, once they played a few rounds... it was actually fun. It made her feel braver. Her eyes kept moving to him. No one seemed to notice her interest, thankfully.   
  
_

_They had an hour to go..._


	3. Avoid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben thought back to how he’d actively avoided Poe’s little playgroup the previous year. He’d heard them laughing so loud, casually throwing out truths and dares like children. No Thankyou, had been his mindset. It had been almost 2019, he was a fucking adult! His big plan involved not remembering anything after midnight and hopefully Poe getting him a car home. Praying the new year brought something better.

_”come on Solo!” Poe and Finn kept yanking his arm, “you absolutely cannot just sit at the damn bar intense and putting off fuck you vibes! No one will kiss you at midnight!”_

_Ben glared blurry eyes in their direction. “Why pray tell might that be! Oh yes, my blind date was a cunt ...and then Hux took her anyway...”_

_”true... but, now you can meet someone else! New Year new you! New fabulously hot girls to snag!” Poe exclaimed. Wavering a bit._

_Finn chuckled. “Just put yourself out there, it’s not so bad. I met a sweet girl tonight. She’s great!”_

_Ben glowered at their table. “She looks way too young to be here. Poe, did your girlfriend bring high schoolers in a damn bar?!”_

_”um, I plead the fifth, besides... Fun is deserved for all tonight! Come play with us Bennyyyyy!” Poe mockingly knelt on the floor._

_”absolutely not Dameron... no jail bait for me, thanks. You are such a dumbass...” Ben turned back to his fresh glass, praying they’d leave him alone._

_They did._

_He didn’t notice the hazel eyes watching him from their group. She sighed.  
  
_

_The closer it got to midnight, the braver Rey became. Seeing most of the group making out with each other didn’t hurt. Rey envied them... their free spirits._

_She could do it... she just needed to put her hypothetical big girl panties on and march up and...._

_This time next year she’d have some college under her belt. She wasn’t a damn pussy... she had one! Downing one last shot, she moved away carefully, not wanting Rose or anyone to notice._

_The count down started._

_10..._

_9..._

_8..._

_The man looked defeated, shoulders slumped. His mouth drawn into a soft frown at this point.  
  
_

_7..._

_6..._

_5..._

_People were pairing up. Hux now sitting with Gwen on his lap, her arms around his neck. The date from earlier that he’d stolen nowhere in sight... probably on to new prey. Sluts...both of them. Not Gwen, Rey likes Gwen.  
_

_4..._

_3..._

_2..._

_Rey saw Rose nuzzling Finn, Poe snuggled up with Paige, Jessika had snagged a girl with long blonde hair._

_She was right behind him now. She could smell his amazing cologne._

_Was she doing this?_

_Yes._

_No._

_Maybe?_

_Fucking fuck hell god damn it..._

_She took a deep breath, trying to calm her trembling body to get it to act._

_Brain not communicating well with her limbs..._

_1..._

_She touched his shoulder._

_”Dameron what the fuck?! I said...!” He yelled.  
  
_

_Rey darted forward._

_”HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!” Wrang out all over the bar, music blared, and Ben was silenced by lips he had not expected._

_He had felt a tap on his shoulder, turned around to scold Poe, and was greeted by a slight girl wrapping her arms around his neck... kissing him._

_He should have pushed her away._

_Should have._

_But she smelled like strawberries, her lips were so soft, he couldn’t help pulling her closer to make it deeper. Alcohol soaked brain useless..._

_Every bit of his pissy mood disintegrated.  
It felt like he was flying away..._

_Lost and floating in this warm fuzzy place, the bar gone... the noise gone... just this mouth on his, tongues dancing so fucking perfectly like they’d done this a lifetime._

_Where had she been all night?!_

_His hands ran along her hip and up her back to her neck._

_When she pulled back, he got one moment to take in her beautiful hazel orbs before she vanished. He tried to follow, but people were too crowded together._

_He cursed._   
  



	4. Hopeful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben was not sentimental... he was professionally cynical and preferred sulking. It kept socializing at a minimum. His technique worked on everyone but his stubborn friends who had adopted him by accident. They were all so very different than him. When his eyes sought her out in the crowd, he’d felt a flicker of hope so foreign... it had scared the shit out of him.

“You are here... I’m fucking shocked.” Poe clapped his hands. Grinning, “you told me you weren’t!”

”just one beer then I’m gone Dameron... don’t get too excited you prick.” Ben scowled and took a sip of his Budweiser.

Poe chuckled.   
  


Paige was late, so Poe was shooting pool with Hux and Gwen. Gwen had already kicked his ass once. Then Hux’s... now Poe’s again. “You are a glutton for punishment.” She stated. “Where’s your girlfriend?”   
  
He shrugged.

”Finn isn’t coming, he has become little Rose’s lapdog bitch... they are at her parent’s place. He said they plan to take full advantage of their absence... all over that house.” Hux smirked.

”well well then... I see Solo showed up.” Gwen nodded towards Ben. “Sitting at the bar... just like last year.”

Poe nodded. “ yeah, sure is... but I think there’s something up with that. I think he’s looking for someone... he keeps scanning.”

”intriguing theory.” She replied.

Rey was on her own. Rose was quite... occupied. She was happy for her. Finn had proved all year to be a good decent guy, who made her friend blush and giggle constantly. Happiness looked great on her.

But, Rey couldn’t help thinking about him... her midnight second of bravery. Her few dates this year had been nothing to brag about. She enjoyed her classes, but no one on campus caught her attention. 

  
Not tall enough...  
  


Hair not long enough...

Wrong eyes... lips...

She wondered if he recalled their brief kiss fondly, or had been annoyed by being mauled.

She shouldn’t be here tonight, stalking him...

But, she still had her fake ID. She knew he probably wouldn’t show up. She felt ridiculous as she scooted between the bodies. It was already crowded.

”oh fuck...” she muttered under her breath.   
  


There he was...

Ben nursed his beer. He was going to leave, right after this one is gone. He would.   
  


“um... excuse me...” a soft voice interrupted his mental deliberations.

Ben almost dropped his bottle. He coughed. “Oh! ...sorry, I... hi.” Ben stumbled over his words.

It was her.   
  
The her!


	5. You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey turned absolutely, utterly crimson. “Hi...” She stared down at her fingers, then her shoes... “I believe we met last New Year’s Eve, I’m Rey.” Then finally, she let her gaze find his. Ben appeared just as terrified as she felt. It actually made her nerves quiet their internal scream fest.

“Yes... I recall. Though, you skirted out of here so fast last time... I am glad to get your name. I’m Ben.” He offered her his hand.

She smiled shyly.   
  


“so, you... you kissed me.” He muttered. Her hand still in his.

”I am aware...” she replied trying to wear confidence.

He chuckled, “why?”

She sighed. “ I saw you... I saw what happened with your date... and your buddy.”

”oh...” he glanced away, releasing her hand.   
  


“my friend and I were actually hanging out with your friends that night, my friend Rose’s big sister Paige has been dating Poe a long time. Rose dared me to pick a random person to kiss.” Rey explained reluctantly.   
  
Ben soured. “ah...” He reflected, so she’d not really been into him... it’d just been a dare. “I was a dare... it could have been anyone. You could have kissed anyone...”

He groaned.   
  


Seeing his hurt expression, ...the anger simmering beneath the surface, ...it pained her heart. “No, it couldn’t have been just anyone... I wanted to kiss you.” She licked her lips. “Just you...”

Ben’s face turned back to her. “Me...?”

She inched closer.

She took both his hands in her smaller ones.

”you.” She leaned forward. “Just you Ben...”

He held his breath.

Her lips grazed his.

His eyes closed.

So soft...

So warm...

His tension released.

Rey pressed firmer against his mouth, licking the seam to encourage him to open to her... to trust her...

Ben found a thousand questions instantly flew through his overwhelmed mind. Stupid things, like -did she like pot roast... or orange sherbet ice cream? Did she run... or swim? What was her favorite color? Her favorite animal? How old was she? Was she afraid of snakes? Did she snore...?

It was like being washed by childish excitement, like Christmas morning...

He wasn’t picturing faceless sex. He was feeling this moment so deeply, it cut him in the marrow of his bones.

And it was a kiss!

Not mindless horny groping...

Not meaningless skin slapping in some dark corner... never to call again.

Rey.

He let his tongue slide against hers, let her fingers card into his hair and grip, let her lean into his chest as his own arms circled carefully. 

He offered up all he could.   
  


It felt... normal.

Right.

Real.

Like... something.

Rey hummed as they explored. 

Now they were wrapped tightly, every single thing happening around them in the bar forgotten. He tugged her up into his lap, her tone thighs straddling him. Her tight jeans rubbing him just the right bit for delicious friction.   
  


  
“holy shit!” Poe grabbed at Hux to get his attention. 

“What the fuck Dameron!” Hux yelled at him. Annoyed.

”look damn it!” Poe pointed towards the bar. “Look!”

Hux followed his direction and smirked. “Well, fuck. Solo made a friend!”

  
Gwen laughed. “Oh Huxie... not just any friend...”

Paige arrived. “What the hell ya’ll gawking at?”

Hux nodded toward the bar.

”shit! Rey?!” Paige said in disbelief. “And is that..., no, ... is that Solo?”

”yup!” Poe grinned ear to ear. “Looks like they’re eating each other’s faces! Ha! Good for him!”   
  
His delight irritated Paige, but she had to admit they looked quite content. Like they’d forgotten they were in public at all, lost in another world. Rose would approve. Paige snapped a pic and sent it to Rose.  
  


“hi...” Rey pulled back breathless. “Um... So I guess this was ok?”

”oh fuck, definitely...” Ben replied almost instantly. His face flushed and his own breathing hitched.

She smiled. “Good. I have zero interest in Hux by the way, in case you wondered.”

Ben choked he laughed so hard, “so glad we cleared that up! But, he might be heartbroken...”

”tough.” She stated. “Want to enjoy the countdown somewhere else...? Maybe ...at your place? Do you have a place?”

He nodded. “Yes... I do... and that sounds excellent.”

He noticed Poe and Hux grinning across the room. Gwen and Paige threw them thumbs ups.   
  


Rey blushed, but waved at them.

They left hand in hand.

Ben held her on his couch. The tv blared in front of them. Festivities on the screen.

He was happily admiring her bare feet laying across his legs which were propped on his coffee table. 

He placed a gentle kiss to her hair, content. She fell asleep way before the countdown occurred, but he didn’t mind. They hadn’t torn each other’s clothes off at arrival, and he couldn’t care less.

Holding her felt like heaven.   
  


She’d told him the whole story of the previous New Year’s Eve, how she’d been to scared to ask for his name or number from their mutual acquaintances. 

How she’d thought of his mouth ever since. 

How he tasted like joy to her.   
  


That she was 19, in college, and oh so new to feeling such want in her life.   
  


Ben had assured her he was in no rush, that their ages didn’t matter. They could get to know each other at her pace as long as she kept kissing him... 

That she tasted like hope.

They both ignored their phones... the incessant buzzing from their friends being nosey.

Ben finally let his own eyes droop closed around 4 a.m.

Best New Year’s Eve ...ever!

He sighed, happy.  
  


She did snore... but it was the most precious sound he’d ever heard in his entire fucking life.


End file.
